Song Details
- Album Release Date: 2012
- Genre: ska
Song Meaning of “Spar Wid Me – Live 1983” by The English Beat
Spar Wid Me is a song about a relationship that is littered with strife and disagreement. The title speaks to how love is like a sparring match where two opponents come together and throw haymakers in a close encounter, only to part ways again. There is a sense of longing to be together expressed in a longing for peace and understanding, even though both parties know that disagreements will come up again.
The narrator begs for forgiveness, understanding, and compassion so the fighting can end, if only for a moment. He is willing to concede some of his own personality if it keeps the peace, but also recognizes that the connection between them is strong enough to survive these disagreements in the end. He provides comfort in the knowledge that this sparring can bring them closer together, if they can just overcome whatever differences they have.
The narrator realizes that communication needs to be repaired in order to keep the relationship together. He also reflects on the idea that no one is perfect, and that relationships require two willing partners who can admit and learn from their own mistakes.
In the end, the song is a plea for understanding, forgiveness, and communion – something that many struggling relationships can relate to. The English Beat has captured the cost of disagreements while illustrating the power of love and acceptance to build something stronger, even in times of hardship.